After reaching a $5.3 million settlement with its insurance provider, Ursuline College has unveiled a new $10 million facility to replace the original athletic center that was severely damaged during a tornado in July 2013.
The new center will service Ursuline’s 1,500 students and 11 athletic programs, which were accepted into NCAA Division II two weeks before the tornado hit, according to a press release.
Demolition of Ursuline’s damaged O’Brien Athletic Center, which was originally built to serve a student population of 400, is set to begin next month. A groundbreaking ceremony for the new athletic center is scheduled for April 29. The ceremony will also serve as the launch of the Center for Creative and Healing Arts and Science, which also had to delay construction following the tornado.
Both buildings are planned to be built simultaneously this spring.
“This construction will be the largest project the campus has undergone in over 40 years,” said Sister Diana Stano, Ursuline College’s president, in the release. “The new facilities will reinforce Ursuline’s strength as a leader in women’s education.”
During the tornado, O’Brien Athletic Center sustained severe damage, with one wall collapsed and part of the roof destroyed. O’Brien was one of four buildings on Ursuline’s campus affected by the tornado. The Dauby Science Center and Besse Library had roof and water damage. The Mullen Administration Building had minor roof damage.
A campaign to raise an additional $5 million for the new athletic center is currently underway.
Ursuline is a women’s Catholic liberal arts college located in Pepper Pike.
“The buildings will provide Ursuline students and student athletes with the resources they need to succeed on and off the field, which will inspire them to reach their highest potential,” Stano said.
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